I was out of a place!

I know, now you are cozy and comfortable on the warm fail-safe server of your own web host with megabytes oozing out of every web page.

At this point, you’re probably beaming with confidence because you know that your web host views any technical glitch that shows up on your website as a personal affront. I’m also sure you’re benefiting from the breadth of a “gig” or two of spacious server space.

This, no doubt, required accommodating the crowds that are magnetically drawn to your website every day, while you reluctantly allow them to buy your products.

Alas, I once knew that same feeling of tranquility! Emphasis here in the past then, because I was recently asked to “travel the fantastic internet” looking for a new web host.

You see, one day, when I discovered that my web forms were no longer working, I calmly took Mr. Bell’s device to inform the hosting company of my little dilemma. After all, he had been a star guest for over two years and naturally I was under the foolish impression that all my problems would be resolved quickly, which I did instead!

It seems that my web host had recently decided that support was too trivial and annoying to be important.

In addition, I had the audacity to relate such an insignificant matter over the phone. I guess in some hosting circles answering the phone is a real no-no.

I was quickly informed that I must submit what is called a “Support Ticket”.

One support ticket I discovered is an email request for help that gives you all the confidence of waving a distress flag in an empty room, only mine wasn’t as effective!

Meanwhile, my little problem was beginning to irritate visitors, a feat that I must admit is sometimes amusing, but definitely hard on the pocketbook.

So, exasperated, I know you won’t believe it, but sometimes I get a little pissed off, packed up my megabyte collection and started my search for another web host, along with a “Gig” or two of server space.

As I blithely skipped down the superhighway through my favorite search engine, it soon became apparent that I could no longer hold on to my air of confidence, let alone dreams of frugality.

Have you noticed lately how they have twisted the meaning of that beautiful word ‘cheap’? As a result, I find it increasingly difficult to maintain my image. And the phrase ‘Customer Service’ has become more of a slogan than a certainty. Too often, the term “24/7 support” really means, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”

However, even though this eye-opening search had left me “Google-eyed,” I had to admit that there really are a lot of good web hosts populating the Internet.

Of course while searching for my new host I had to focus on seemingly mundane things like; The server side includes data transfer speed and the ever popular secure socket layers.

Boy, I don’t know about you, but I certainly want all my sockets, especially the layers, to be secure. And, getting a bunch of those ‘cron jobs’ sounds obscene, doesn’t it? Also, are you sure Perl is not a dot term?

So my advice is, if you have a good web host, hug your nearest FTP access and hang on for dear life. A good web host is money in the bank. Therefore, I wish you many happy uploads and profitable downloads.

As for me, I have found the perfect host that I will never wander from, who would? Now it’s blue skies forever. However, I heard of one who…